Reporter For Sports Illustrated example essay topic

Women In Sports Journalism The profession of sports journalism has existed since the early nineteenth century, when newspapers and the media began covering horse racing and boxing events. However, when one reads a history of sports journalism prior to the 1970's, it quickly becomes apparent that all of the famous writers and commentators were men. There was a general feeling in the early years of journalism that women were unsuited for some assignments, and sports was one of the topics that women were felt to be unqualified to report on. Although it's much better now, women still struggle in order to be accepted in the professions of sports journalism and often have to show a higher level of training or are expected to accept unfair treatment in order to get the same job and respect that male reporters receive. In the 1970's, there was a women's movement showing that women could indeed work in many of the areas that had been formerly dominated by men. However, a controversy arose in the profession of women in sports journalism.

This controversy centered on the importance of reporters being able to interview athletes immediately after a game (in order to meet the demands of sports fans). The best place for these interviews is in the locker room, where there is the possibility that some of the athletes may be partially or completely undressed. Obviously, it seems inappropriate that a woman might be found in this type of environment. Yet, in order to compete with male reporters, women reporters must be able to do locker room interviews as well. In the mid-1970's, various sports leagues began to recognize this need. Thus, in 1976, the National Hockey League began allowing women reporters into its locker rooms.

A further step occurred in 1978, when Melissa Ludtke, a reporter for Sports Illustrated, won a sex discrimination suit in a U.S. District Court. In that case, it was ruled that barring a woman from a major league baseball locker room was discrimination because it would put her at a "severe competitive disadvantage" in doing her job. Despite this ruling, a new controversy broke out in 1990 when members of the New England Patriots football team sexually harassed Lisa Olson of the Boston Herald during a locker room interview. Although the team members were chastised and fined, Olson continued to experience harassment (from fans) after the incident, and eventually she was forced to move to Australia in order to keep her job working as a sports reporter. This case drew national attention to the role of women's sportswriters and their right to pursue their profession and to do their job on an equal footing with male reporters. Many articles were written during the time in which it was argued that there is a need for mutual respect between reporters and athletes.

Thus, a reporter needs to respect an athlete's privacy, but the athlete also needs to respect the right of the reporter to do her job, and to postpone showering until after the interview has been conducted. Fortunately, cases of women reporters being harassed in locker rooms have become increasingly rare, but it is still an issue that is being swept under the rug and is not fully recognized as a major problem by the authorities in this field. There are many women sports journalists who are making important contributions to the profession today. Sally Jenkins, a writer for Sports Illustrated, brought many years of experience with her when she joined the magazine. Regarding the role of women in sports journalism, Jenkins has been quoted as saying that women writers provide "something different for readers than what male writers offer, this something is not better or worse, just different". Laura Vecsey is another writer who acquired several years of experience and training before making her name as a sports writer.

After joining the staff of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Vecsey showed her ability as a sports journalist by successfully predicting that the Mariners would soon have a surprise winning streak. There are many women working in sports journalism today who are doing good work. In addition, women sports journalists are gaining increased strength and respect by working together through organizations such as the Association for Women in Sports Media. This abundance of activity is a good sign because the more women there are in sports journalism, the more young women will be inspired to enter the field and try to excel in their own way. I believe when women draw attention to themselves through their accomplishments, it inspires and influences other women (and girls) to want to make similar accomplishments of their own. Happily, the changes that are taking place in sports journalism are only a smaller part of a general trend, in which women are fighting as well as gaining increased opportunities in all walks of life.